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Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ship AOPS

It is not even that close to being that simple.

Unlike the Sea King, there is no second line maintenance program- we jump straight to third line on Cyclone. A bunch of folks took a stab at what aviation support facilities should look like on a tanker, but alot of it was based on what we used to do with Sea King, which is not great starting point. So- once we get SHOL sorted out, we will embark a tanker det and try to figure this out.
My desk was 5 over from the RCAF one on the project. There was a Cylcone pilot in that chair. The Civi in charge of the hangar and aviation facilities (2 over from me) just kept asking the airforce what they wanted and needed, constantly running things by the RCAF rep and had the squadron maintenance folks on speed dial. By that time the Cyclone had deployed on VDQ, TOR and REG. And the project hadn't even built the hangar block yet. So there was direct operational feedback going in.

Everything down to briefing rooms, offices, weapons lockers, the side of the desk the MWO wanted their phone was planned. Every tool, every piece of equipment had a storage space, every spare, all the tie downs, the movement of people in and around the hangar was mapped out, including moving torps in and out of the magazine.

The detail that went into the airforce requirements at the direction or request of the Cyclone folks was immense.

All I'm trying to say is that if something was missed don't blame the RCN. If there isn't 2nd line due to platform particularities thats fine, it's going to be a very well planned/furnished first line. I expect that things will change once they operate in the space, that's a given.
 
No, the world has changed and the requirements are different. We gained some better capabilities, including the ability to host C2 spaces and enhanced medical spaces, plus a better ship to shore connector, and other things I probably am not aware of.
Double hull, better solid stores system, magazines that carry missile and torp reloads, containerized storage on the upper deck. Lots of neat new things. Time will tell if they are better or not. There is an argument to be made its trying to do to much.
 
Name your poison Gents.

View attachment 90038

PS.

Army vs Navy




View attachment 90039

US Navy wants 70 sailors to transport 50 marines.
US Army wants 13-23 mariners to transport 175 soldiers.


....

Digression on the Landing Ships as neither of those have particular relevance to helo/uas ops.

Damen has created a better solution for the Portuguese.



View attachment 90040


7000 tonnes displacement
107m LOA
48 Ships complement

94x11-metre flight deck and hangars for UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles).
a stern ramp for UUVs and USVs (Unmanned Underwater Vehicles and Unmanned Surface Vehicles)
a 650m2 cargo deck and space for twelve 20-foot containers.
up to 300 troops.

looks like a San Giorgio knockoff
 
I see amphib as a important part of force projection into the Arctic. Does not need to be a helicopter carrier, even a large LST that provides the capability to land heavy equipment up there in support of various operations.

The main goal of large ships in the arctic on 'sovereignty' type tasks, based on my fairly limited experience, is to keep large numbers of people safe, warm and fed in some of the most hostile conditions on earth.

Not a ship so much as a space ship.

How about some ice capable cruise ships?

 
My desk was 5 over from the RCAF one on the project. There was a Cylcone pilot in that chair. The Civi in charge of the hangar and aviation facilities (2 over from me) just kept asking the airforce what they wanted and needed, constantly running things by the RCAF rep and had the squadron maintenance folks on speed dial. By that time the Cyclone had deployed on VDQ, TOR and REG. And the project hadn't even built the hangar block yet. So there was direct operational feedback going in.

Everything down to briefing rooms, offices, weapons lockers, the side of the desk the MWO wanted their phone was planned. Every tool, every piece of equipment had a storage space, every spare, all the tie downs, the movement of people in and around the hangar was mapped out, including moving torps in and out of the magazine.

The detail that went into the airforce requirements at the direction or request of the Cyclone folks was immense.

All I'm trying to say is that if something was missed don't blame the RCN. If there isn't 2nd line due to platform particularities thats fine, it's going to be a very well planned/furnished first line. I expect that things will change once they operate in the space, that's a given.


I think you hit on the key thing. The experience and understanding of task and purpose can mean that both things are true, nothing was missed yet everything was missed. This is agnostic of service or specific subject.

In theory you could have RCAF aircrew and maintainers directly taking lessons learned from operating the Cyclone on the frigates and applying them to the AOR for 1st line stuff yet have it marginal for concentration of AirPower, 2nd line stuff, etc. All because the RCAF pers misunderstood the task and purpose, likely because of both personal experience and institutional experience.

It seems this problem is growing across all services as institutional experience is shrinking in scope and breadth. It’s not deliberate it’s just people don’t know what they don’t know.
 
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There is no CONOPS for deployed or embarked Cyclones because we never had the facilities to do it. I suspect it will be written the same as the CONOPS for Cyclone employment. While deployed... lol
…maybe best to just wait a bit then write it for 60Rs…
 
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